On the whole, autumn clothes are favoured by the typical businessman. Fabrics are generally made lighter for mild autumn days and can often be worn all year round. And since colours are typically neutral, mixing and matching is made easy.
However, this year's A/W collections are, in one word, dark, with bleak hues and deep tones dominating menswear. The trends have clearly been driven by the current global decline, and reveal images of the Great Depression. Ironically, it is not only fashion that repeats itself.
Greys, blacks, slates and dusty blues monopolise this autumn's colour palette, except for the occasional bright oranges and reds scattered throughout, which lighten up the severity of the darker tones. Rich greens and blues are also on-trend in an otherwise understated season.
But more importantly, this autumn is about layering - a short over long mix of loose layers works well. When it gets cooler in the evenings or as the season progresses, a sweater or jacket can be thrown on. Men don't have to continually spend a fortune to look stylish. The following wardrobe items will not only carry the executive through this autumn and winter, but for seasons to come.
Autumn's must-haves include striped preppy shirts. Every designer and manufacturer has come out with some sort of striped shirt. It can be worn independently with jeans, with a suit or under a sweater. From bold and thick stripes to thin ones, it's a smart look that men will find easy to incorporate into many ensembles.
Other key trends include cuffed trousers and sharp well-tailored suits - perfect for the man who prefers a classical appearance. The tuxedo is still going strong, as is the power suit. Team this up with a broad-shouldered coat, which appeared to be the focal point of most ensembles on the catwalks. Accessorise with heavy cable knit muffler scarves - seen to accompany almost every menswear collection. For hats, try anything from bowlers and fedoras to knitted caps to keep on trend this season. And as for fabrics, despite the seemingly bleak outlook,luxurious materials such as muted plaids, Irish tweed and leather are still popular.
Striped neck ties have also made a comeback this year, proving to be extremely popular whether they are the traditional regimental tie, a club tie or a tie with modern and colourful stripes. The classic diagonal-stripe is right on trend this season, perfect for conservative business attire - or even a fashionable combination with a casual cotton blazer. Dress for success with 100 percent silk ties. Choose multicoloured stripes on a background of any shade of blue.
Monochrome, combined with flashes of colour, can also be seen on the catwalks and will no doubt filter onto the high street soon enough. To stay fashion forward, dress in bold, black and white garments, adding a hint of red or blue in accessories.
Top Autumn Menswear Trends: ï Irish tweed ï Monochromatic ï Preppy shirts ï Muffler scarves ï The broad shoulder coat ï Short over long layers ï Plaid ï The suit ï Leather ï Hats (bowlers, fedoras and knitted caps) ï Diagonal striped ties ï Cuffed trousers Colour Palette: ï Grey ï Black ï Red ï Orange ï Blue ï Green
Top Autumn Menswear Trends: ï Irish tweed ï Monochromatic ï Preppy shirts ï Muffler scarves ï The broad shoulder coat ï Short over long layers ï Plaid ï The suit ï Leather ï Hats (bowlers, fedoras and knitted caps) ï Diagonal striped ties ï Cuffed trousers Colour Palette: ï Grey ï Black ï Red ï Orange ï Blue ï Green
